[Pentax1000]

Hi there.

I have purchased an SFX, and while waiting for the delivery I would like to ask some questions:

First, I'm not a pro photographer at all, only take like 1 or 2 rolls a month, and during vacation, maybe a little bit more. I rarely use builtin flash. Now, the SFX uses 2xCR2 batteries. The question is: at such shutting rate, how much will the batteries last? Lets say, I purchase some chinese CR2s, rather than top-end ones. Also, during nigh or when I don't use the camera, I will remove the batteries.

Second, would it worth purchasing just normal batteries or rechargeable ones, with the charger too? If the CR2s lasts for months, maybe recharging them doesn't worth the money invested. What is your oppinion?


Third, I read somewhere that the SFX had available a battery grip. Is this true? I actually did search internet, but found nothing, maybe I missread?

Fourth, any place to purchase a diopters viewfinder thing (I don't know the exact name), also in Europe? Second hand, of course.

Last question: which second hand, old lens, with AF would be recommended for this camera, in the range 28-70 or 30-80 or similar? Also, I need the most possible apperture, so a f/3.5-4.5 or alike, would be nice. I don't mind Pentax-made or 3rd party made. Also I don't need top-end lenses, so if the brand is Miranda rather than Tokina, it would be ok for me anyway, if the delivered image quality is acceptable. Of course, it must provide AF and full metering. I'm only interested in a lens made during the 90s, maybe early 200x, designed for this camera or similar cameras during that period.
I already have several prime focus lenses without AF, but due to my actual needs, I am interested in a zoom only. Also, 52mm diameter (all of my filters and hood are 52mm). But if there is no zooms with AF and mettering, which 28mm ~ 30mm lens with AF would be ok for this camera?


Thanks in advance and happy shooting.

[zuzuman]

Hi,

I picked up one of these cameras a few months ago. I like it very much. I can't really address your first four questions, but I will comment on the last one.

My camera came with the SMC Pentax-F 35-70 f/3.5-4.5 lens. In my opinion, this is the ideal walk-around lens for this camera. Very sharp, small, and light. It takes 49mm filters, but buy a cheap 49-52mm step-up ring for your filters and hood, and you will be set.

[redrockcoulee]

If I remember correctly the battery usually lasted about one year but when I had a SF1n, the same camera more or less, I shot about 50 years per year.

You will not find many with a 52 mm filter, more likely 49 or 58. The 49 is easily taken care of with a step down ring. There was a grip that took A A batteries, I never had one but they did exist. Iirc the eyepiece is adjustable for your eyes. Search for SF1 as well as X as the name depends upon the market, we had one of each. Auto focus lenses started in late 80s as the F series and are as good if not better than the FA series in most cases.

[Swift1]

With casual use, the battery should last 6-12 months.
AFAIK, there is no battery grip for the SFX.
The SMC Pentax-F 35-70 is a great lens for that camera.

Edit Apparently there is a AA battery holder that replaces the 2CR5 battery holder/grip.

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Last edited by Swift1; 03-07-2015 at 10:17 AM.

[aoeu]

Battery grip SF

SFX / SF1

[Pentax1000]

Hi,

I picked up one of these cameras a few months ago. I like it very much. I can't really address your first four questions, but I will comment on the last one.

My camera came with the SMC Pentax-F 35-70 f/3.5-4.5 lens. In my opinion, this is the ideal walk-around lens for this camera. Very sharp, small, and light. It takes 49mm filters, but buy a cheap 49-52mm step-up ring for your filters and hood, and you will be set.

Yes, that looks exactly what I need, and the reviews are all of them possitive. I will definetely get that lens among with the stepdown ring.

If I remember correctly the battery usually lasted about one year but when I had a SF1n, the same camera more or less, I shot about 50 years per year.

You will not find many with a 52 mm filter, more likely 49 or 58. The 49 is easily taken care of with a step down ring. There was a grip that took A A batteries, I never had one but they did exist. Iirc the eyepiece is adjustable for your eyes. Search for SF1 as well as X as the name depends upon the market, we had one of each. Auto focus lenses started in late 80s as the F series and are as good if not better than the FA series in most cases.

I see, then maybe a rechargeable battery doesn't really worth too much for me. I will make calculation anyway.
About the diopters thing, the problem is that the SFX has a diopter range of -1.5 to +1.5, while i would need a -2.5 approx.
Now I guess if the viewfinder has any kind of focusing aid, like a small LED that turns on when the image is focused.

Also, with autofocus, the problem will be solved, but anyway, when using manual focus lenses it would be great to have some kind of focusing aid, otherwise it would be really hard to focus at a 100% accuracy.

With casual use, the battery should last 6-12 months.
AFAIK, there is no battery grip for the SFX.
The SMC Pentax-F 35-70 is a great lens for that camera.

Edit Apparently there is a AA battery holder that replaces the 2CR5 battery holder/grip.

Battery grip SF

SFX / SF1

So battery grip is just that. I was thinking about a battery grip like the ones you can place in modern DSLRs.

@ aoeu: how interesting that webpage, I will take a look at it.

[eddaytona]

My favorite camera has been the SF1. I bought it new ($400 with lenses!) when it first came out. It jammed once about 10 years ago but got it fixed locally. I still use it when I get the film bug and it works great. I think its pop-up TTL fill flash is much much better than my K-5 or previous KR. When I bought it the camera came with an F series 35-70mm macro and a 70-210 zoom kit. My theory has been that these were really great lenses because Pentax had to prove it could compete with Minolta and Cannon in the new AF field so they made overachieving glass.I still use those lenses today on my K-5 and they are wonderful. You can get those for about $125 total. The 35-70 is a perfect walk around lens and it can macro focus down to unbelievable closeness. The SF1 originally had a rubber eye cup but it fell apart long ago. I see on ebay that few of the SF1s for sale have the eye cup. The diopter for me was fine and a set and forget feature. The batteries last forever. When I was using the camera as my main camera I could easily go through 50 rolls of film without killing the battery, so no need for a battery grip. There is indeed a LED display in the viewfinder and a liquid crystal display on top of the camera. When you get focus confirmation you see a hexagon light up in the viewfinder and the camera beeps. This works with AF or MF lenses. In fact it is exactly the same style in-focus indicator and sound that my K-5 and KR has today. Why mess with success? Enjoy your camera. It's a really great one and will get you coming back to Pentax for a very long time.

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Last edited by eddaytona; 03-07-2015 at 05:24 PM.

[Pentax1000]

My favorite camera has been the SF1. I bought it new ($400 with lenses!) when it first came out. It jammed once about 10 years ago but got it fixed locally. I still use it when I get the film bug and it works great. I think its pop-up TTL fill flash is much much better than my K-5 or previous KR. When I bought it the camera came with an F series 35-70mm macro and a 70-210 zoom kit. My theory has been that these were really great lenses because Pentax had to prove it could compete with Minolta and Cannon in the new AF field so they made overachieving glass.I still use those lenses today on my K-5 and they are wonderful. You can get those for about $125 total. The 35-70 is a perfect walk around lens and it can macro focus down to unbelievable closeness. The SF1 originally had a rubber eye cup but it fell apart long ago. I see on ebay that few of the SF1s for sale have the eye cup. The diopter for me was fine and a set and forget feature. The batteries last forever. When I was using the camera as my main camera I could easily go through 50 rolls of film without killing the battery, so no need for a battery grip. There is indeed a LED display in the viewfinder and a liquid crystal display on top of the camera. When you get focus confirmation you see a hexagon light up in the viewfinder and the camera beeps. This works with AF or MF lenses. In fact it is exactly the same style in-focus indicator and sound that my K-5 and KR has today. Why mess with success? Enjoy your camera. It's a really great one and will get you coming back to Pentax for a very long time.

That's very useful information.
So now, I won't need another diopters viewfinder. With the hexagon light I would get things in focus. I'm not a friend of beeping sounds that attract my attention. Since I use mostly street photography and candid shots, the beeping sound is like the enemy of this kind of photography, specially candid shots.

Actually, I'm not "coming back" into Pentax, but rather "coming in". I have been always using a Kodak Retina IIIC and, mostly, a Zenit 122k. I also have a K1000 that I don't almost use due to some technical malfunctions.
And since the Zenit is a K mount, I already have several lenses for the SFX (non AF) but the focusing "hexagon" in the SFX will be a great help.

[weijen]

As a SFXn user I'd like to add my 2 cents:

The SFX uses 2CR5, not CR2 batteries. However, it is possible to use 2 CR123 batteries as a substitute for 2CR5. I have done it and wrote about it in this forum. CR123s are much cheaper too. My SFXn sucks battery juice evern when it is off. Get the batteries out whenever you are not shooting. Once, I put a fresh battery in my SFXn and forgot about it. It drained out by itself in a few weeks.

The AA battery adapter adds bulk and weight, since AAs are heavier than 2CR5s. And the performance of the SFX kinds of sucks with rechargable NiMH AAs. So it's a fair trade off between the two.

There is a built in diopter. Get an external one if it does not work for you. The SFXn slot fits regular size Pentax diopters and cups , but not the SFX. It's smaller. (I have both the SFX and SFXn )

The SFX has a really great viewfinder which works great for manual focus lenses as well. One can actually see what's in focus. Beats the crap out of any modern AF bodies. I won't go deep into lens recommendation here since it has been covered by others. Any 28-80-ish lens will work great, since film is not about pixel peeping. Just try to get one with a shorter throw like the Sigma 28-80 3.5-5.6 AF, because the AF is rather slow.

The thing I love most about this camera is that it is huge, ugly and noisy. Totally oozing with that 80's look that's sure to turn heads!

[eddaytona]

As a SFXn user I'd like to add my 2 cents:

The SFX uses 2CR5, not CR2 batteries. However, it is possible to use 2 CR123 batteries as a substitute for 2CR5. I have done it and wrote about it in this forum. CR123s are much cheaper too. My SFXn sucks battery juice evern when it is off. Get the batteries out whenever you are not shooting. Once, I put a fresh battery in my SFXn and forgot about it. It drained out by itself in a few weeks.

The AA battery adapter adds bulk and weight, since AAs are heavier than 2CR5s. And the performance of the SFX kinds of sucks with rechargable NiMH AAs. So it's a fair trade off between the two.

There is a built in diopter. Get an external one if it does not work for you. The SFXn slot fits regular size Pentax diopters and cups , but not the SFX. It's smaller. (I have both the SFX and SFXn )

The SFX has a really great viewfinder which works great for manual focus lenses as well. One can actually see what's in focus. Beats the crap out of any modern AF bodies. I won't go deep into lens recommendation here since it has been covered by others. Any 28-80-ish lens will work great, since film is not about pixel peeping. Just try to get one with a shorter throw like the Sigma 28-80 3.5-5.6 AF, because the AF is rather slow.

The thing I love most about this camera is that it is huge, ugly and noisy. Totally oozing with that 80's look that's sure to turn heads!

"The thing I love most about this camera is that it is huge, ugly and noisy. Totally oozing with that 80's look that's sure to turn heads!"

Yea Baby! If you don't pay umm, lets see? Yes, one MILLION dollars I'll blow up the world! LOL! Sooo 80's! Sooo ugly. Love it!

[Pentax1000]

As a SFXn user I'd like to add my 2 cents:

The SFX uses 2CR5, not CR2 batteries. However, it is possible to use 2 CR123 batteries as a substitute for 2CR5. I have done it and wrote about it in this forum. CR123s are much cheaper too. My SFXn sucks battery juice evern when it is off. Get the batteries out whenever you are not shooting. Once, I put a fresh battery in my SFXn and forgot about it. It drained out by itself in a few weeks.

The AA battery adapter adds bulk and weight, since AAs are heavier than 2CR5s. And the performance of the SFX kinds of sucks with rechargable NiMH AAs. So it's a fair trade off between the two.

I buy batteries via. eBay, which made them cheaper, but yes, I always remove bateries from every electronical device I own after finishing using it.
About the battery grip, I thought it was like a modern DLSR grip.
Thanks for the advide anyway.

There is a built in diopter. Get an external one if it does not work for you. The SFXn slot fits regular size Pentax diopters and cups , but not the SFX. It's smaller. (I have both the SFX and SFXn )

There is no need anymore. Since the viewfinder will show a LED when things are in focus, I can even use manual focus lenses, but I will definitely get that 28-80 lens for the sake of faster focusing, although I mostly use zone-focusing.

The SFX has a really great viewfinder which works great for manual focus lenses as well. One can actually see what's in focus. Beats the crap out of any modern AF bodies. I won't go deep into lens recommendation here since it has been covered by others. Any 28-80-ish lens will work great, since film is not about pixel peeping. Just try to get one with a shorter throw like the Sigma 28-80 3.5-5.6 AF, because the AF is rather slow.

Yes! I have been reading the manual from buktus, and I think I am already in love with this camera.

================

The thing I love most about this camera is that it is huge, ugly and noisy. Totally oozing with that 80's look that's sure to turn heads!

How loud is the shutter sound for the SFX?

"The thing I love most about this camera is that it is huge, ugly and noisy. Totally oozing with that 80's look that's sure to turn heads!"

Yea Baby! If you don't pay umm, lets see? Yes, one MILLION dollars I'll blow up the world! LOL! Sooo 80's! Sooo ugly. Love it!

... and the louder the shutter sound, the better!

I remember taking a photograph with my Zenit 122k in a Buddhist conference about the Kumano Kodo. The monk talking, literally stopped talking for a moment.

I think he thought that someone had shot a gun or something.

[johnha]

The SFX is a great film camera. It takes a single '2CR5' lithium battery - these were expensive back in the day but are much cheaper now. The AA battery grip (4x AA batteries - NiCd's not recommended) replaces the 2CR5 grip and is about twice as deep - I have big hands and prefer the larger grip. Additional diopters should be findable (look for Pentax 'M' series diopters - the same ones that fit the current DSLRs), you'll have to remove the eyecup though.

Battery life with a 2CR5 battery was officially given as 150 rolls of 24 exposure film without flash or 30 rolls of 24 exposure film with flash 50% of the time. Expect a bit less than this in real world situations though.

As for lenses, the original lens is the F35-70 f/3.5-4.5 zoom, very compact, very sharp and perfect for the body, later 28-80 lenses aren't as good but offer better zoom ranges.

It has electronic focusing aids in the finder. The green hexagon for 'in-focus' but also the red arrows indicating which way to turn a Pentax lens (manual focus or AF) to achieve focus (Note: Most independent lenses focus the 'other' way). The 'in focus' beep can be turned off - the on/off switch offers Off, On (no beep) and On (with beep). I've used these cameras for years (decades!), any questions feel free to ask.

[weijen]

You Tube

You Tube

"Ke-tak-zzzt! ke-tak-zzzt!"

The metal clank sound is the best part. It's still more silent than a manual wind camera on a motor drive though.

[eddaytona]

35-70 in macro mode on my K-r (1st shot) and with my SF-1 (2nd shot, scanned negative). Love that lens!

[Pentax1000]

35-70 in macro mode on my K-r (1st shot) and with my SF-1 (2nd shot, scanned negative). Love that lens!

Very nice, eddaytona.